In automatic sausage production processes, the casing is first applied to the filling tube at the discharge end of the machine. Subsequently, the casing brake is positioned on the filling tube end.
Casing brakes are used for holding the casing under tension at the filling site, i.e. at the filling tube end, when it is being filled with a certain substance (e.g. sausage meat). This is a prerequisite for the production of high-quality, tightly stuffed sausages. If the casing can, however, be removed too easily from the filling tube during the filling process, a poor degree of filling will be obtained.
In addition, the casing brake supports the rotation of the still unstuffed casing on the filling tube together with said filling tube during the twist-off operation, whereas the already stuffed part of the casing does not rotate together therewith due to mass inertia and due to the fact that it is fixed in position. By means of this relative movement, a twist-off point is produced at the site of the casing brake, i.e. the sausage is formed in the right portions.
Such a casing brake with a brake pad, which presses the casing onto the filling tube from outside, is already known from EP 0247462 (see FIGS. 12 and 13, showing a casing brake of this kind). The brake pad is a component of the casing brake. The sealing lip of the brake pad is directed inwards towards the filling tube. The conical brake pad is axially tensioned between two shells. This is normally done via a thread provided between these shells. By tensioning the brake pad via a bevel, the diameter of the sealing lip can be modified and the braking force can be adjusted in this way. In view of the high dynamics, starting/stopping entails the risk that the adjustment of the rotating parts will, due to mass inertia, change during production. A change in the brake pretension should, however, be avoided under all circumstances. Hence, the adjustment is normally configured such that it cannot take place easily. Normally, the friction in the thread is increased by a rubber ring to such an extent that an inertia-dependent displacement is no longer possible. This, however, means that easy adjustment by hand, without the use of special tools, will no longer be possible either.